Dean Smith - Confirmed

[Ian.]

We will limp on until May and then hopefully strip the squad out and rebuild - give Smith two seasons at the least
Having said that I believe he needs  a defensive coach alongside him as his track record at Walsall and Brentford isn't brilliant

Yes I think that’s fair, he has his way of playing and he needs to surround himself with players who can adopt that approach. You might be right, either a real good defensive coach or a really good centre back with leadership qualities to sort the mess out back there.

[PaulWinch again]

We will limp on until May and then hopefully strip the squad out and rebuild - give Smith two seasons at the least
Having said that I believe he needs  a defensive coach alongside him as his track record at Walsall and Brentford isn't brilliant

Yes I think that’s fair, he has his way of playing and he needs to surround himself with players who can adopt that approach. You might be right, either a real good defensive coach or a really good centre back with leadership qualities to sort the mess out back there.

Sorry at the level he’s managing at he can’t afford the luxury of having one way of playing if it doesn’t suit the personnel. Having an attack minded philosophy is fine but he needs to be able to adapt his tactics to the players he has. If he can’t do that he’ll never get the chance to bring in his own players at Villa.

[SheffieldVillain]

We will limp on until May and then hopefully strip the squad out and rebuild - give Smith two seasons at the least
Having said that I believe he needs  a defensive coach alongside him as his track record at Walsall and Brentford isn't brilliant

Yes I think that’s fair, he has his way of playing and he needs to surround himself with players who can adopt that approach. You might be right, either a real good defensive coach or a really good centre back with leadership qualities to sort the mess out back there.

Sorry at the level he’s managing at he can’t afford the luxury of having one way of playing if it doesn’t suit the personnel. Having an attack minded philosophy is fine but he needs to be able to adapt his tactics to the players he has. If he can’t do that he’ll never get the chance to bring in his own players at Villa.

The personnel didn't suit Bruce's defensive way of playing either.

I'm not quite sure what tactics do suit defenders who can't defend and midfielders with no energy.

[Richard E]

Bricking up the goalmouth.

[SoccerHQ]

We've missed an opportunity this season.

Leeds are a good team but they're not in class of Wolves or Newcastle. Newcastle got 100 points in 16/17 and Wolves were a win away from that last year.

Leeds will go up but will be nowhere near that point tally.

Then you have Norwich and Boro who have dipped recently. Sheffield United are losing to Swansea atm....West Brom are like us, top heavy in attack and their lack of defensive nous has stopped them being comfortable in second.

I do feel this is the weakest championship we've been in. If Hull are this season's Fulham well I think that proves my point.

While I still want to give DS a free ish pass for this season I'd still be very disappointed not to make the top 6.

Only crumb of comfort is when you look at likely prem bottom 3 Huddersfield and Cardiff coming back down wouldn't scare me as both had miracles just to get up in the first place. Fulham went so crazy with signings half their current 11 probably wouldn't want to play for them in this division.

It would be nice for once to hit the ground running at the start of the season. 1 win in 10 stopped us going up automatically last season and it just piles too much pressure on us to make up ground.

[Pvb1968]

He will sort this shower out.

[Ads]

We're paying the price of the summer window for 17/18. Short term view and when the good players retire or go back to their parent club we're left with blergh.

[Villa75]

If the last few weeks are all we can expect him to get out of our squad, then he's not the coach/manager i hoped he would be.

Not good enough. Must do better.

[olaftab]

We haven’t got a decent enough squad specially CM and defence so Dean is doing ok with the bad hand he has been dealt.

[Toronto Villa]

We're paying the price of the summer window for 17/18. Short term view and when the good players retire or go back to their parent club we're left with blergh.

Correct. One more thing I put firmly at the doorstep of Steve Bruce. I would hate to think what we’d look like today had we gone up last season and Bruce give £50-60m to spend. That’s why I advocated the other day abandoning loans and building from within. I accept it won’t happen and a well thought out use of the system is effective. But we need to create a new Villa where we promote young players and recruit the best young ones we can find. Our reliance on older players is really starting to show. Something that in recent days is being openly acknowledged by the club.

[Ads]

He's trying to do better. QPR away and today and even Derby actually in the first half; a long straight ball did for Chester. He cannot play it out, he cannot play on the left and the whole defence sans Axel cannot transition into midfield.

He's bought Hause whose 6 foot 3, quick and likes to play.

Sides have been doing what we did to Derby; we allowed Keogh the ball as he cannot play out and had the forward who ought to have pressed Keogh pick Fat Tom up instead.

Our defence can only switch the game side to side. They don't press our centre halves, they press the midfield or full backs that have to come deep to collect the ball. It makes us slow going back to front. Compare with Leeds whose transitions were very quick indeed.

You cannot defend like that from the front with Axel, as he'll bring the ball out 15 yards. Your forwards either go with him or pass onto your midfield, who must step out (as Axel will keep going) and suddenly you've got overloads and players like Grealish available in space. It makes a huge difference.

Compare and contrast our pressing second half when we dominated territory. It made a huge difference to turn over and re-set.

Smith isn't beyond criticism and I think we need to change shape until the midfield is strengthened.

[Three Spires Villa]

He will sort this shower out.

Fair play to you, but what is your thinking? Pre Albion, I agree, post Albion, not so sure. I am not saying get rid, because that is silly, but Dean and his team (not his players, but he’s the manager so it’s his team) look lost

[XXVilla]

He looked lost in the first half today. Barely unfolded his arms for 45 mins

[Steve67]

I may have missed it but in any of his interviews today, was he asked about incoming players or transfer business?

[berneboy]

He plays a certain high press attacking style of football.  And for that he needs the right type of players at his disposal. He clearly hasn’t got enough of those at the minute.  They’re so used to one paced, boring shit football, the older ones at least are probably not capable of adapting. 

When you add this to the fact that he still has remnants of McLeish’s, Sherwoods, Di Matteos and Bruce’s squads I think it’s a reasonable assumption that he needs a decent amount of time to get it right.  I’ve said before that the younger players can adapt to his style quicker because they’re prepared to learn and change.  See Axel, Jack etc. For once we as fans are going to have to be very patient, hold our nerve and allow him the time to develop it.  I’m quite looking forward to it.

You really should stop posting such balanced, sensible and calm words.